Habituation of the blink reflex: computer assisted quantitative analysis

The electrically evoked blink reflex (BR) was elicited in 20 healthy volunteers, varying the stimulus interval by a computer JN 110. Latencies, amplitudes, reflex duration and reflex areas of early and late components of the BR were analysed by a computer program testing the signal-to-noise ratio, the response configuration and frequency distribution. Changes in habituation related to the stimulus interval can be illustrated best by the progressive diminution of R2 areas. Computing the habituation in relation to the stimulation frequency by a standardized program seems to be a quantitative method to assess habituation in various diseases and during treatment studies.